Way back in 2002 Labour introduced the idea of accredited workers, people who can demand our details, or our money for a variety of things not all of which were offences. It’s not been exactly a tidal wave of people getting these powers but as The Telegraph observes the number is increasing an increasing rate both in numbers of people who are accredited and in the number of organisations allowed to enrol people. It would seem to be snow balling, and why not all those fines they can charge help to keep paying for councillors and politicians expenses and jollies abroad.
For instance from the Telegraph article:
“In March this year, Scotland Yard gave 15 private security guards the limited policing powers to operate around Victoria coach and railway stations in central London”
Those aren’t even PCSOs, just random security guards with no well known requirements for ID or uniform, if there’s even any criteria for acceptable ID or uniform in the first place. As other people have observed the potential for fraudulently collecting fines is quite impressive, not to mention the ease with which addresses could be gathered in this age of “identity theft”. Would you have any idea if you were talking to a genuinely accredited person who a con man?
Looking at the little list of powers they have I’d observe that it’s not actually illegal for under 18’s to have alcohol nor under 16’s to have tobacco, and “force” them to surrender alcohol?
